Is Your Bad Driving Damaging Your Car?

We’re not all natural drivers. Some people take a few goes at their driving test before they are given their license and the all-clear to drive on their own. So, it’s understandable that not every driver out there on the roads is going to be good. All of the bad habits we pick up while we’re driving are, for the main part, not really anything to worry about. However, there are a few habits that bad drivers have that could actually be damaging their car.

Not sure if any of your habits are bad news for your auto? Take a look through this list and see if you are guilty of any of these!

Being Erratic With Your Gears

If you change too quickly between your gears, then you might have to take your car to an auto repair garage sooner rather than later! This is even the case if you drive an automatic and switch it too quickly from drive to park and vice versa. It’s fine doing this once in awhile, but if you are continually erratic with your gears, then the car’s drivetrain could become damaged. Ideally, you should change your gears slowly, and only change into park when the car is completely stopped.

Revving Too Early

There’s nothing better than hearing a big vroooom from your engine, right? Well, sure, it makes you sound like a racing driver, but it actually isn’t that great for your car. In fact, if you rev your car before the engine has fully warmed up, it might cause some significant damage. That’s because cold revving causes the engine’s temperature to change drastically, and this can place unnecessary stress on its various components. So, rather than needing to take your car to the garage to get the engine fixed, you should wait to rev until your car has been turned on for a few minutes.

Keeping The Clutch Down

Lots of new drivers tend to keep their foot on the clutch. When they need to stop at a red light, they even keep the clutch pressed in just so they don’t have to come into a neutral gear. But, if you carry on this way, you will end up burning out the clutch, and you’ll just have to pay to get it replaced. So, whenever you need to bring your car to a stop, always put it in neutral and take the foot off the clutch. And, if possible, try and stop resting your foot on the clutch when you are driving.

Using Your Brakes Too Much When Going Downhill

Instead of breaking while you are driving downhill, you should try and control your speed with your gears. If you ride your brakes all the way down a hill, they will get worn out very quickly and might even overheat. Try not to use your breaks unless it is absolutely necessary.

Have you identified one of your bad habits in this list? If so, you need to change your driving behavior right now!

Tom Brown

Tom Brown is an automotive market enthusiast living in the United States. He holds a diverse background in automotive marketing and enjoys utilizing that to produce insights into the inner workings of the industry.